The present invention relates to a finger operated keyboard and particularly to finger operated ergonomic keyboard for data entry, word processing, and/or typewriter like functions. The keyboard is specifically designed for an International, Absolute, Phonetic English, but can also be used for English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin, and many other languages used in the world.
The conventional typewriter keyboard includes several horizontal rows of keys oriented transversally to an operator. The conventional arrangement of letters of such a keyboard is sometimes referred to as the QWERTY format after the first six letters on the top row of the letter keys. The QWERTY format was developed in the late 1800""s and has remained the standard keyboard format to date for typewriters as well as for computers, word processors, and other data entry terminals.
The QWERTY format keyboard suffers from several disadvantages. A hand moving up and down the keyboard is required to position for striking keys on the upper and lower portions of the board. Even when it is not necessary to move the entire hand substantial finger movement is required to move the fingers between keys on adjacent rows or between adjacent keys on the same row. Such hand and finger movement decreases the rate at which an operator can enter data via the keyboard, and increases the possibility of making errors.
Inventors have secured patents to facilitate data entry on mechanical typewriters, electric typewriters, word processors, and computer keyboards. Many are designed to overcome difficulty of data entry on the standard QWERTY design which is expanded to six horizontal banks of a hundred and one vertically activated keys on the computer style keyboard.
The disadvantage of these keyboards is the large amount of finger and/or hand movement required by both left and right hands in order to activate the keys on the board. The conventional keyboard lends itself to making mistakes, getting tire, and carpel tunnel in wrists; while the ergonomic minimizes these problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,058xe2x80x94Titled: Continuous Touch Keyboard by Donald E. Allan issued Jan. 23, 1996, describes a continuous touch keyboard in which a three position key is provided for each finger. The keys are arranged in order to align with the fingers of a cupped pendant hand, and the actuator for fingers two, four, and five and the thumb are elevated above the other keys. In addition, the patent describes thumb keys as well as palm rests for the left and the right hand. The disadvantage with this keyboard is the limitation of the number of characters that can be designated, and as well the difficulty in distinguishing between the positions available for each key.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,516 also by Donald E. Allanxe2x80x94Titled: Finger Operated Switching Apparatusxe2x80x94Issued: Sep. 6, 1988, also describes a keyboard in which four keys for each finger are arranged in a manner comfortable to the hand with the keys at various elevations above the keyboard. The patent describes a very sophisticated and complicated key in order to provide for the three positions each key can be moved into. The draw backs of this design are the number of characters or indicia which can be designated on the keyboard, and in addition, the inability for the operator to be able to distinguish exactly between the different positions of the keys. Furthermore, the ergonomics of the switch design is such that the switches must be elevated at different heights in order to be useful for the operator.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a keyboard which requires a minimum amount of movement of the operator""s fingers and hands, and is able to produce the maximum number of characters in one keyboard.
The present invention a ergonomic keyboard for inputting data, said keyboard comprises:
a) a keyboard housing;
b) a plurality of four position finger boxes mounted in said housing and arranged conformably to receive finger tips of a users hand, wherein said finger boxes are responsive to no movement, depression, contraction and extension of said fingertips corresponding to at least 4 distinct finger box positions namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward respectively;
c) means for assigning letters, numerals, symbols and functions to each of said positions of said finger boxes; and
d) means for sensory of each of the positions of each of said finger boxes such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes.
Preferably finger boxes defining finger openings in said housing which are recessed cavities and located below said keyboard top such that said fingertips fall naturally into said cavities.
Preferably further comprising at least one palm/wrist pad elevated above said keyboard top for placement of palm or wrist thereon such that when a users palm or wrist rests on said palm/wrist pad a users finger tips fall naturally into said finger boxes located below said keyboard top.
Preferably said finger boxes are six position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 6 distinct finger tip positions, namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward being positions 1 to 4 as claimed above and in addition, said finger boxes being responsive to sequential movement of the fingertip namely forward then downward movement of said fingertips being the fifth position and backward then downward movement of the fingertip being the sixth position.
Preferably said finger boxes are eight position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 8 distinct finger tip positions, namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward, forward then downward, backward then downward, being positions 1 to 6 as claimed above, said finger boxes being responsive to further sequential movements of the fingertip namely downward then forward being the seventh position, and downward then backward being the eighth position.
Preferably said keyboard includes at least five finger boxes, one for each finger and thumb.
Preferably said keyboard includes two palm/wrist pads and at least ten finger boxes; one pad.
Preferably for each hand and one finger box for each finger and thumb.
Said keyboard includes two palm/wrist pads and at least fourteen finger boxes; one pad for each hand and one finger box for each finger and thumb, two finger boxes for the index and little fingers of both hands.
Preferably wherein;
a) said palm/wrist pad is a three post pad naturally in a neutral position, and moveable into a forward position and rearward position; and
b) and further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads, such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes.
Preferably wherein
a) said palm/wrist pad is a five position pad movable into a neutral position, forward position and rearward position; and
b) and further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes.
Preferably said finger boxes include a vertical key with corresponding contacts and two horizontal levers each with corresponding contacts, said key and levers responsive to no movement, said vertical key responsive to depression of said fingertip for closing one set of contacts, one of said horizontal levers responsive to contraction of said fingertip for closing a second set of contacts, and one of said horizontal levers responsive to extension of said fingertips for closing a third set of contacts.
Preferably wherein said horizontal levers are pivotally attached to said keyboard housing with a slot joint, such that said horizontal levers pivot about said slot joint when horizontally urged by a finger tip thereby converting lever horizontal motion to lever vertical motion for closing said contacts.
Preferably wherein said finger box being capable of sequential movement of said finger tips and wherein sensory means being responsive to sequential closing of said contacts, sequential closing of said contacts accomplished by forward then downward movement of said fingertips being the fifth position and backward then downward movement of the fingertip being the sixth position.
Preferably wherein said finger boxes being eight position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 8 distinct finger tip positions, namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward, forward then downward, backward then downward, being positions 1 to 6 as claimed above, said finger boxes being capable of further sequential movements of the fingertip namely downward then forward being the seventh position, and downward then backward being the eighth position.
Preferably further comprising at least one palm/wrist pad elevated above said keyboard top for placement of palm or wrist thereon such that when a users palm or wrist rests on said palm/wrist pad a users finger tips fall naturally into said finger boxes located below said keyboard top.
Preferably wherein said palm/wrist pad comprises
a) a hand rest rigidly connected to moveable control stick which is connected to said keyboard housing at a ball and socket joint, such that said palm/wrist pad pivots about said ball and socket joint,
b) said palm/wrist pad is a three position pad movable into a neutral position, forward position and rearward position; and
c) and further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads.
An alternate embodiment of the present invention a finger box for receiving a finger tip therein said finger box comprises:
a) a vertical key with corresponding contacts;
b) two horizontal levers each with corresponding contacts,
c) said finger boxes defining finger openings being recessed cavities adapted such that fingertips fall naturally into said cavities; and
d) said key and levers responsive to no movement, said vertical key responsive to depression of said fingertip for closing one set of contacts, one of said horizontal levers responsive to contraction of said fingertip for closing a second set of contacts, and one of said horizontal levers responsive to extension of said fingertips for closing a third set of contacts.
Preferably wherein said horizontal levers are pivotally attached to a housing with a slot joint, such that said horizontal levers pivot about said slot joint when horizontally urged by a finger tip thereby converting lever horizontal motion to lever vertical motion for closing said contacts.
Preferably wherein said finger box being capable of sequential closing of said contacts accomplished by forward then downward movement of said fingertips being the fifth position and backward then downward movement of the fingertip being the sixth position.
Preferably wherein said finger boxes being eight position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 8 distinct finger tip positions, namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward, forward then downward, backward then downward, being positions 1 to 6 as claimed above, said finger boxes being responsive to further sequential movements of the fingertip namely downward then forward being the seventh position, and downward then backward being the eighth position.